     "Well, let's go in. I'll pay for you." He pushed the door open and motioned for me to go inside. I hesitated. Everything seemed unreal. After all the trouble I had gone through, I thought I was finally going to have a good meal without worrying so much, and then it had to turn out this way! I started to get very depressed again.

     But I'd already started working. I'd be able to pay him back soon. I shouldn't worry about borrowing money from him. I managed to raise my spirits enough to eat until I was half full.

     "Oh - - have you eaten enough? Don't worry, eat as much as you want? Tanaka saw that I'd laid my chopsticks down after eating one bowl of rice. He then ate two bowls of rice himself, trying to encourage me to eat more. He was a better person than I'd thought at first. I was embarrassed and didn't dare order another bowl of rice. The first bowl of rice had stimulated my stomach and I was feeling hungrier than ever.

     "I've had enoguh, thank you," I said, and looked away. My eyes were burning and I felt a few tears slip out. I was feeling shy and nervous, as well as grateful to Tanaka. It seemed as though all the other newspaper boys had come to this restaurant to eat. There was serveral still eating, some had already finished and left, some were just coming in. Many of the faces looked familiar.

     Tanaka paid the bill and we left. He'd eaten tweleve cents worth of food and I'd only eaten eight cents worth. After we left the restaurant, I walked close by his side. I wanted to thank him again but it seemed as though he avoiding me. "How do you like this job?" he asked me. "It seems easy and relaxing, but actually it's quite difficult, especiallu in this freezing cold winter weather."

     "It is difficult, but I don't mind."

     "Be patient. After you get used to it, maybe it'll seem a little better."

     "Probably. Thanks?

     "Well? he turned his face away. I think he wasn't acustomed to talking to people like that, and his face flushed deep red.

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